St. Paul’s Primary School in Jamaica held their official Resource Centre reopening exercises to great fanfare on Wednesday, January 28, 2015. On hand to celebrate the auspicious moment were several of their benefactors, Mr. Winston Wellington, Chairman of Negril Education Environment Trust (NEET); Wingate Wellington, Accountant, Traveller’s Beach Resort); Barry Westcar, NEET Director; Mrs. Doreen Lewis-Watson (Principal); Reverend Harold Jones (Board Chairman); Canon Hartley Perrin (Custos Rotulorum and Master of Ceremonies); Rockhouse Hotel Representative Alecia Jackson-Eastwood; Father Jim Buck (Mary Gate of Heaven); Sharon and Theo Chambers (Let’s Do It In The Caribbean Media); Mr. & Mrs. Andy Wright, USA and the Media (CVM TV/PRCaribbean News).
The NEET Chairman arrived early at the School accompanied by a large delegation comprised of a group of guests from Travellers Beach Resort and other supporters to celebrate the grand reopening. They were met at the gate by three cheerful 4H students uniformed in bright green: Taira, Tagha and Dena Kay and a host of students who greeted them in acapella chorus.The programme unfolded with few adjustments. Mr. Winston Wellington provided an overview of NEET in which he indicated that the Williamsfield Library will be the next one to be constructed in tribute to the late Hon. Roger Clarke, Agriculture Minister. This library’s motto will be: “A man can never reach so high as when he stoops to help a child.”
Mr. Clayton Hall, Regional Director, West Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) was the guest Speaker. He exhorted the students to greatness, giving examples from his life and the teaching profession. He kept his presentation brief as the programme was compact. Following his presentation Mr. Winston Wellington distributed few of the 36 computer tablets to deserving students who were reminded that they had to learn how to use the tablets in school before they were able to take them home. Mr. & Mrs. Wright eclipsed the presentation of computer tablets with the immediate presentation of 100 shoes of various sizes. Mr. Wright said his 11 year old grandson heard him say that children in Jamaica cannot go to school without shoes. With that said the ambitious grandson launched a fundraising campaign at his Montessori school and collected 200 pairs of shoes, the balance of which will be shipped at a later date.
The rededication and ribbon cutting took place after the closing remarks, then visitors and guests toured the resource centre dedicated to Aldith P. Walker, which proudly displays NEET’s motto: “A book in every hand and a computer in every classroom.” Visitors were feted to refreshments provide by Elaine Bradley of the Negril Rotary Club and others. A surprise outcome of the day occurred at the end of the programme when a UK visitor was so moved by the charm and wit of Maya Wilson, a student, that she made arrangements to sponsor Maya with a scholarship.
